List of governors of Vermont

The governor of Vermont is the head of government of the U.S. state of Vermont. Since 1994, Vermont is one of only two U.S. states (New Hampshire being the other) that elects governors for two-year terms.^[1] Until 1870, Vermont elected its governors for one-year terms.^[2] Isaac Tichenor, Jonas Galusha, Erastus Fairbanks, and Richard A. Snelling each served non-consecutive terms, while Thomas Chittenden served non-consecutive terms as Governor of the Vermont Republic.^[3]

Mountain Rule

From the founding of the Republican Party in the 1850s until the 1960s, only Republicans won general elections for Vermont's statewide offices. One method that made this possible was the Republican Party's imposition of the "Mountain Rule," an informal mechanism which restricted the pool of candidates.^[4]

Under the original provisions of the Mountain Rule, one U.S. senator was a resident of the east side of the Green Mountains and one resided on the west side. The expanded version of the rule called for the governorship and lieutenant governorship to alternate between residents of the east and west side. Nominees for governor and lieutenant governor were originally allowed two one-year terms, and later one two-year term. For nearly 100 years, likely Republican candidates for office in Vermont agreed to abide by the expanded Mountain Rule in the interests of party unity. Several factors led to the eventual weakening of the Mountain Rule, including the long political dispute between the Proctor (conservative) and Aiken–Gibson (progressive) wings of the party; primaries rather than conventions to select nominees; the direct election of U.S. Senators; and several active third parties, including the Progressives, the Prohibition Party, and the Local Option movement. In the 1960s, the rise of the Vermont Democratic Party and the construction of Interstate 89 also contributed to the end of the Mountain Rule. Although I-89 is a north–south route, it traverses Vermont from southeast to northwest for the majority of its length within the state and changed the way residents view how it is divided.^[5][6]

List of governors

Vermont Republic

The Vermont Republic declared independence from Great Britain on January 15, 1777.

Governors of the Republic of Vermont

No.	Governor		Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1		Thomas Chittenden (1730–1797) [7][8]	March 13, 1778[9] – October 13, 1789 (lost election)[10]	No party	1778	Joseph Marsh
					1779	Benjamin Carpenter
					1780
					1781	Elisha Payne
					1782	Paul Spooner
					1783
					1784
					1785
					1786	Joseph Marsh
					1787
					1788
2		Moses Robinson (1741–1813) [11]	October 13, 1789[12] – October 20, 1790 (lost election)[10]	No party	1789
3		Thomas Chittenden (1730–1797) [7][8]	October 20, 1790[13] – March 4, 1791 (became state governor)[14]	No party	1790	Peter Olcott

State of Vermont

Vermont was admitted to the Union on March 4, 1791.

Governors of the State of Vermont

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[a]
1			Thomas Chittenden (1730–1797) [7][8]	March 5, 1791[15] – August 25, 1797 (died in office)[14]	No party[16]	1791		Peter Olcott
						1792
						1793
						1794		Jonathan Hunt
						1795
						1796		Paul Brigham[b]
2			Paul Brigham (1746–1824) [17][18]	August 25, 1797[15] – October 16, 1797 (did not run)[19]	Democratic- Republican[20]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
3			Isaac Tichenor (1754–1838) [21][22]	October 16, 1797[23] – October 9, 1807 (lost election)[10]	Federalist[15]	1797		Paul Brigham
						1798
						1799
						1800
						1801
						1802
						1803
						1804
						1805
						1806
4			Israel Smith (1759–1810) [24][25]	October 9, 1807[26] – October 14, 1808 (lost election)[10]	Democratic- Republican[15]	1807
5			Isaac Tichenor (1754–1838) [21][22]	October 14, 1808[27] – October 14, 1809 (lost election)[10]	Federalist[15]	1808
6			Jonas Galusha (1753–1834) [28][29]	October 14, 1809[30] – October 23, 1813 (lost election)[10]	Democratic- Republican[15]	1809
						1810
						1811
						1812
7			Martin Chittenden (1763–1840) [31][32]	October 23, 1813[33] – October 14, 1815 (lost election)[10]	Federalist[15]	1813		William Chamberlain
						1814
8			Jonas Galusha (1753–1834) [28][29]	October 14, 1815[34] – October 13, 1820 (did not run)[28]	Democratic- Republican[15]	1815		Paul Brigham
						1816
						1817
						1818
						1819
9			Richard Skinner (1778–1833) [35][36]	October 13, 1820[37] – October 10, 1823 (did not run)[35]	Democratic- Republican[15]	1820		William Cahoon
						1821
						1822		Aaron Leland[b]
10			Cornelius P. Van Ness (1782–1852) [38][39]	October 10, 1823[40] – October 13, 1826 (did not run)[38]	Democratic- Republican[15]	1823
						1824
						1825
11			Ezra Butler (1763–1838) [41][42]	October 13, 1826[43] – October 10, 1828 (did not run)[41]	National Republican[15]	1826
						1827		Henry Olin[b]
12			Samuel C. Crafts (1768–1853) [44][45]	October 10, 1828[46] – October 18, 1831 (did not run)[44]	National Republican[15]	1828
						1829
						1830		Mark Richards
13			William A. Palmer (1781–1860) [47][48]	October 18, 1831[49] – November 2, 1835 (lost election)[c][10]	Anti-Masonic[15]	1831		Lebbeus Egerton
						1832
						1833
						1834
14			Silas H. Jennison (1791–1849) [50][51]	November 2, 1835[c] – October 18, 1841 (did not run)[50]	Whig[d]	1835[c]		Acting as governor
						1836		David M. Camp
						1837
						1838
						1839
						1840
15			Charles Paine (1799–1853) [54][55]	October 18, 1841[56] – October 13, 1843 (did not run)[54]	Whig[15]	1841		Waitstill R. Ranney
						1842
16			John Mattocks (1777–1847) [57][58]	October 13, 1843[59] – October 11, 1844 (did not run)[57]	Whig[15]	1843		Horace Eaton
17			William Slade (1786–1859) [60][61]	October 11, 1844[62] – October 9, 1846 (did not run)[63]	Whig[15]	1844
						1845
18			Horace Eaton (1804–1855) [64][65]	October 9, 1846[66] – October 19, 1848 (did not run)[65]	Whig[15]	1846		Leonard Sargeant
						1847
19			Carlos Coolidge (1792–1866) [67][68]	October 19, 1848[69] – October 12, 1850 (did not run)	Whig[15]	1848		Robert Pierpoint
						1849
20			Charles K. Williams (1782–1853) [70][71]	October 12, 1850[72] – October 18, 1852 (did not run)[70]	Whig[15]	1850		Julius Converse
						1851
21			Erastus Fairbanks (1792–1864) [73][74]	October 18, 1852[75] – November 1, 1853 (lost election)[10]	Whig[15]	1852		William C. Kittredge
22			John S. Robinson (1804–1860) [76][77]	November 1, 1853[78] – October 13, 1854 (did not run)[76]	Democratic[15]	1853		Jefferson P. Kidder
23			Stephen Royce (1787–1868) [79][80]	October 13, 1854[81] – October 10, 1856 (did not run)[82]	Whig[83]	1854		Ryland Fletcher
					Republican[83]	1855
24			Ryland Fletcher (1799–1885) [84][85]	October 10, 1856[86] – October 15, 1858 (did not run)[84]	Republican[15]	1856		James M. Slade
						1857
25			Hiland Hall (1795–1885) [87][88]	October 15, 1858[89] – October 12, 1860 (did not run)[82]	Republican[15]	1858		Burnham Martin
						1859
26			Erastus Fairbanks (1792–1864) [73][74]	October 12, 1860[90] – October 22, 1861 (did not run)[73]	Republican[15]	1860		Levi Underwood
27			Frederick Holbrook (1813–1909) [91][92]	October 22, 1861[93] – October 9, 1863 (did not run)[82]	Republican[15]	1861
						1862		Paul Dillingham
28			J. Gregory Smith (1818–1891) [94][95]	October 9, 1863[96] – October 13, 1865 (did not run)[82]	Republican[15]	1863
						1864
29			Paul Dillingham (1799–1891) [97][98]	October 13, 1865[99] – October 13, 1867 (did not run)[97]	Republican[15]	1865		Abraham B. Gardner
						1866
30			John B. Page (1826–1885) [100][101]	October 13, 1867[102] – October 16, 1869 (did not run)[100]	Republican[15]	1867		Stephen Thomas
						1868
31			Peter T. Washburn (1814–1870) [103][104]	October 16, 1869[105] – February 7, 1870 (died in office)[14]	Republican[15]	1869		George W. Hendee
32			George Whitman Hendee (1832–1906) [106][107]	February 7, 1870[108] – October 6, 1870 (did not run)[106][e]	Republican[15]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
33			John Wolcott Stewart (1825–1915) [109][110]	October 6, 1870[111] – October 3, 1872 (lost nomination)[109][f]	Republican[15]	1870		George N. Dale
34			Julius Converse (1798–1885) [112][113]	October 3, 1872[114] – October 8, 1874 (did not run)[82]	Republican[15]	1872		Russell S. Taft
35			Asahel Peck (1803–1879) [115][116]	October 8, 1874[117] – October 5, 1876 (did not run)[82]	Republican[15]	1874		Lyman G. Hinckley
36			Horace Fairbanks (1820–1888) [118][119]	October 5, 1876[120] – October 3, 1878 (did not run)[82]	Republican[15]	1876		Redfield Proctor
37			Redfield Proctor (1831–1908) [121][122]	October 3, 1878[123] – October 7, 1880 (did not run)[82]	Republican[15]	1878		Eben Pomeroy Colton
38			Roswell Farnham (1827–1903) [124][125]	October 7, 1880[126] – October 5, 1882 (did not run)[124]	Republican[15]	1880		John L. Barstow
39			John L. Barstow (1832–1913) [127][128]	October 5, 1882[129] – October 2, 1884 (did not run)[127]	Republican[15]	1882		Samuel E. Pingree
40			Samuel E. Pingree (1832–1922) [130][131]	October 2, 1884[132] – October 7, 1886 (did not run)[130]	Republican[15]	1884		Ebenezer J. Ormsbee
41			Ebenezer J. Ormsbee (1834–1924) [133][134]	October 7, 1886[135] – October 4, 1888 (did not run)[133]	Republican[15]	1886		Levi K. Fuller
42			William P. Dillingham (1843–1923) [136][137]	October 4, 1888[138] – October 2, 1890 (did not run)[82]	Republican[15]	1888		Urban A. Woodbury
43			Carroll S. Page (1843–1925) [139][140]	October 2, 1890[141] – October 6, 1892 (did not run)[139]	Republican[15]	1890		Henry A. Fletcher
44			Levi K. Fuller (1841–1896) [142][143]	October 6, 1892[144] – October 4, 1894 (did not run)[142]	Republican[15]	1892		F. Stewart Stranahan
45			Urban A. Woodbury (1838–1915) [145][146]	October 4, 1894[147] – October 8, 1896 (did not run)[145]	Republican[15]	1894		Zophar M. Mansur
46			Josiah Grout (1841–1925) [148][149]	October 8, 1896[150] – October 6, 1898 (did not run)[148]	Republican[15]	1896		Nelson W. Fisk
47			Edward Curtis Smith (1854–1935) [151][152]	October 6, 1898[153] – October 4, 1900 (did not run)[151]	Republican[15]	1898		Henry C. Bates
48			William W. Stickney (1853–1932) [154][155]	October 4, 1900[156] – October 3, 1902 (did not run)[154]	Republican[15]	1900		Martin F. Allen
49			John G. McCullough (1835–1915) [157][158]	October 3, 1902[159] – October 6, 1904 (did not run)[157]	Republican[15]	1902		Zed S. Stanton
50			Charles J. Bell (1845–1909) [160][161]	October 6, 1904[162] – October 4, 1906 (did not run)[160]	Republican[15]	1904		Charles H. Stearns
51			Fletcher D. Proctor (1860–1911) [163][164]	October 4, 1906[165] – October 8, 1908 (did not run)[163]	Republican[15]	1906		George H. Prouty
52			George H. Prouty (1862–1918) [166][167]	October 8, 1908[168] – October 6, 1910 (did not run)[82]	Republican[15]	1908		John A. Mead
53			John A. Mead (1841–1920) [169][170]	October 6, 1910[171] – October 3, 1912 (did not run)[169]	Republican[15]	1910		Leighton P. Slack
54			Allen M. Fletcher (1853–1922) [172][173]	October 3, 1912[174] – January 7, 1915 (did not run)[172]	Republican[15]	1912		Frank E. Howe
55			Charles W. Gates (1856–1927) [175][176]	January 7, 1915[177] – January 4, 1917 (did not run)[175]	Republican[15]	1914		Hale K. Darling
56			Horace F. Graham (1862–1941) [178][179]	January 4, 1917[180] – January 10, 1919 (did not run)[181]	Republican[15]	1916		Roger W. Hulburd
57			Percival W. Clement (1846–1927) [182][183]	January 10, 1919[184] – January 7, 1921 (did not run)[181]	Republican[15]	1918		Mason S. Stone
58			James Hartness (1861–1934) [185][186]	January 7, 1921[187] – January 4, 1923 (did not run)[185]	Republican[15]	1920		Abram W. Foote
59			Redfield Proctor Jr. (1879–1957) [188][189]	January 4, 1923[190] – January 8, 1925 (did not run)[181]	Republican[15]	1922		Franklin S. Billings
60			Franklin S. Billings (1862–1935) [191][192]	January 8, 1925[193] – January 6, 1927 (did not run)[191]	Republican[15]	1924		Walter K. Farnsworth
61			John E. Weeks (1853–1949) [194][195]	January 6, 1927[196] – January 8, 1931 (did not run)[g][181]	Republican[15]	1926		Hollister Jackson (died November 2, 1927)
							Vacant
						1928		Stanley C. Wilson
62			Stanley C. Wilson (1879–1967) [197][198]	January 8, 1931[199] – January 10, 1935 (did not run)[200]	Republican[15]	1930		Benjamin Williams
						1932		Charles Manley Smith
63			Charles Manley Smith (1868–1937) [201][202]	January 10, 1935[203] – January 7, 1937 (did not run)[201]	Republican[15]	1934		George D. Aiken
64			George Aiken (1892–1984) [204][205]	January 7, 1937[206] – January 9, 1941 (did not run)[207][h]	Republican[15]	1936		William Henry Wills
						1938
65			William Henry Wills (1882–1946) [208][209]	January 9, 1941[210] – January 4, 1945 (did not run)[208]	Republican[15]	1940		Mortimer R. Proctor
						1942
66			Mortimer R. Proctor (1889–1968) [211][212]	January 4, 1945[213] – January 9, 1947 (lost nomination)[211]	Republican[15]	1944		Lee E. Emerson
67			Ernest W. Gibson Jr. (1901–1969) [214][215]	January 9, 1947[216] – January 16, 1950 (resigned)[i]	Republican[15]	1946
						1948		Harold J. Arthur
68			Harold J. Arthur (1904–1971) [217][218]	January 16, 1950[219] – January 4, 1951 (did not run)[217]	Republican[15]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
69			Lee E. Emerson (1898–1976) [220][221]	January 4, 1951[222] – January 6, 1955 (did not run)	Republican[15]	1950		Joseph B. Johnson
						1952
70			Joseph B. Johnson (1893–1986) [223][224]	January 6, 1955[225] – January 15, 1959 (did not run)	Republican[15]	1954		Consuelo N. Bailey
						1956		Robert T. Stafford
71			Robert Stafford (1913–2006) [226][227]	January 15, 1959[228] – January 5, 1961 (did not run)[j]	Republican[15]	1958		Robert S. Babcock
72			F. Ray Keyser Jr. (1927–2015) [229][230]	January 5, 1961[231] – January 10, 1963 (lost election)[10]	Republican[15]	1960		Ralph A. Foote[k]
73			Philip H. Hoff (1924–2018) [232][233]	January 10, 1963[234] – January 9, 1969 (did not run)[232]	Democratic[15]	1962
						1964		John J. Daley
						1966
74			Deane C. Davis (1900–1990) [235][236]	January 9, 1969[237] – January 4, 1973 (did not run)	Republican[15]	1968		Thomas L. Hayes
						1970		John S. Burgess[k]
75			Thomas P. Salmon (1932–2025) [238][239]	January 4, 1973[240] – January 6, 1977 (did not run)[238]	Democratic[15]	1972
						1974		Brian D. Burns
76			Richard A. Snelling (1927–1991) [241][242]	January 6, 1977[243] – January 10, 1985 (did not run)	Republican[242]	1976		T. Garry Buckley
						1978		Madeleine Kunin[l]
						1980
						1982		Peter P. Smith[k]
77			Madeleine Kunin (b. 1933) [244]	January 10, 1985[245] – January 10, 1991 (did not run)	Democratic[244]	1984
						1986		Howard Dean
						1988
78			Richard A. Snelling (1927–1991) [242]	January 10, 1991[246] – August 13, 1991 (died in office)	Republican[242]	1990
79			Howard Dean (b. 1948) [247]	August 13, 1991[248] – January 9, 2003 (did not run)	Democratic[247]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1992		Barbara W. Snelling[k]
						1994
						1996		Doug Racine
						1998
						2000
80			Jim Douglas (b. 1951) [249]	January 9, 2003[250] – January 6, 2011 (did not run)	Republican[249]	2002		Brian Dubie
						2004
						2006
						2008
81			Peter Shumlin (b. 1956) [251]	January 6, 2011[252] – January 5, 2017 (did not run)	Democratic[251]	2010		Phil Scott[k]
						2012
						2014
82			Phil Scott (b. 1958) [253]	January 5, 2017[254] – Incumbent[m]	Republican[253]	2016		David Zuckerman[n]
						2018
						2020		Molly Gray[l]
						2022		David Zuckerman[n]
						2024		John S. Rodgers

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States § Vermont
• List of Vermont General Assemblies

Notes

1. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
2. Represented the Democratic-Republican Party
3. In the 1835 election, Palmer received a plurality, but not the required majority; the legislature remained deadlocked after 63 votes and the joint assembly dissolved on November 2^[53] without choosing a governor, so Lieutenant Governor Jennison acted as governor for the term.^[47]
4. Jennison represented both the Anti-Masonic and the Whig parties in 1835.^[52]
5. Republican convention delegates decided that since Washburn, from the East side of the Green Mountains, had won the nomination in 1869, the 1870 nomination should go to a candidate from the West. They also decided that though he was from the West, nominating Hendee would violate the Mountain Rule's two years in office provision, because 1870 would be the first election for a two-year term. As a result, Hendee was not a candidate.
6. Vermont's gubernatorial terms were changed from one year to two. Stewart argued that the Mountain Rule's two-term limit on governors should allow him to serve two two-year terms. Republican convention delegates decided that the Mountain Rule limited governors to two years in office, so Stewart was not re-nominated.
7. Weeks successfully argued that he should serve a second term in order to oversee recovery from the Great Flood of 1927. In 1930, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives.^[194]
8. Aiken was instead elected to the United States Senate.^[204]
9. Gibson resigned, having been confirmed to the United States District Court for the District of Vermont.^[214]
10. Stafford was instead elected to the United States House of Representatives.^[226]
11. Represented the Republican Party
12. Represented the Democratic Party
13. Scott's fifth term began January 9, 2025,^[255] and will expire in January 2027.
14. Represented the Progressive Party